HRAC Approved by Epps, Hosts Speakers

The president of the newly-formed Harvard Republican Action Committee yesterday said his club has won official recognition from the College and will host several events later this spring.

The president, Nicholas V. Taylor '96, said the group had already brought two speakers to campus.

"It is starting pretty well, and I'm very optimistic," said Taylor. "The response that we've received by high Massachusetts officials has been very encouraging and extremely positive for HRAC."

Taylor said Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III approved the club as an official College organization on March 2. Taylor said committee members have planned several strategies for gaining more support.

The committee was formed in February shortly after the Harvard-Radcliffe Republican Club adopted an anti-abortion resolution.

During its stormy first meeting, Taylor and other committee members faced hostile questions from former officers of the Republican Club. And current Republican club president Karen E. Boyle '94 promised a fight if the committee tried to compete for members.

Taylor said the new committee's purpose is to increase political activism on campus. Taylor said hands-on involvement in Republican campaigns furthers party causes better than discussing political issues. He said the latter is the purpose of the Republican club.

"If you want to build a party, you have to play an important role in it," said Taylor.

Future plans for the committee include door dropping literature for an April school board election, as well as participating in the Boston mayoral elections scheduled to take place next fall.

The committee also hopes "to send people to the leadership institute in April in Boston," Taylor said. "It's a political activism boot camp."

The committee plans to invite Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Jim Rappaport to speak to committee members sometime next month.

Members of the committee also have shown interest in working at the pioneer College Republican Headquarters in Boston to research opposition strategies and voting records, Taylor said.

To raise money to bring Washington officials to campus next year, club members plan to hold a fund raiser this spring.

"Republicans throughout the state are looking to build the party and looking toward the HRAC as the active arm of the Republican party at Harvard," Taylor said.